Europe and Central America - most seamless cell phone service

[TravelinGuy]

Hello all,

We'll be traveling from the US to Europe (mostly Spain and France) and Central America (mostly big cities and Roatan in Honduras) in the months ahead.

We're looking for the most seamless cell phone service, i.e. one that allows us to receive and send text messages and make/receive voice calls from the US using our existing phone number (SIM card) and where the US caller/texter won't notice that we're traveling internationally when we call or text back.

Any suggestions on the best carrier(s) and phone(s) to use?

Thanks.

 

[Passepartout]

Check with T-Mobile. They advertise no roaming to 140 countries.

 

[Pompey Family]

You may find that different dialling tones will give away the fact that you're abroad.

 

[LisaH]

I have been using T-Mobile for two years and have been to over 20 different countries. I’m very pleased with its free roaming services. The only countries that do not have such service through my oversea trips are Zimbabwe, Botswana and Falkland Island. Each time I was notified via a text message about the charges (or lack of) when I landed in the country.

 

[Glynda]

Hubby's T-Mobile has been great in Great Britain and other European countries. However, I think he pays $20 a month for it. But he has an unlimited plan. Hmmmm....

 

["Roger"]

Consider Google Project Fi. Their phones can use three different networks including T-Mobile. So that covers 170 countries.

Using a phone network is the fallback option for their phones, however. If you are connected to a WiFi network anywhere, phone messages are sent and received that way.

Your monthly fee covers using the WiFi. There is an add on charge when you use a cell phone network. Since you can usually avoid that, the monthly fee for Project Fi is cheap compared to most plans.

 

[TravelinGuy]

Thanks for all the great tips everyone. I've been leaning towards T-Mobile, but will check out Google Project Fi as well. Thanks again.

 

[lorenmd]

we have iphones so we just bought sim cards in spain when we got there and it was 15 euro. it allowed us to call the US and i think we had 7 GB of data for that 15 euro. we are arriving in argentina soon and will replace our spanish sim cards with argentinian. it is an easy cheap way to have text maps and data as well as phone calls using your regular phone.

 

[bendadin]

We picked up Tmobile lines (even though we have an unlimited ATT.) That $10/day can add up fast. So we pay $60 for the 2 lines with the senior discount. We almost have zero availability where we live, but it has been working fine in foreign countries. Hubby just bought the new iPhone. Supposedly Tmobile is working on the QR code for the second SIM. It has .25/minute for voice when not on Wifi. We also get internet when on Gogo inflight on Delta.